Managing the Grown-Ups

The Australian Teacher Workforce Data (ATWD) provides insights into the median hours worked by senior and middle leaders. In 2022, these senior leaders worked 58 hours a week, or 153% of contracted hours. Meanwhile, middle leaders’ median hours worked were 52 or 137% of contracted hours. Despite a slight reduction in the median hours worked in 2022 from previous years, it’s important to note that senior and middle leaders continue to work significantly beyond the standard full-time workload of 38 hours per week.

So where is this time being spent?

Leaders have taken on a broader range of tasks, with senior leaders engaging more frequently with parents and dedicating additional time to professional development for staff compared to middle leaders.

ATWD Data

Middle managers

Between 2021 and 2022, the following proportions of middle leaders spent 10 hours or more:

• Engaging with parents (2021: 9%; 2022: 23%)
• Professional learning for school staff (2021: 7%; 2022: 23%)
• Instructional leadership (2021: 23%; 2022: 33%)
• Community engagement (2021: 3%; 2022: 9%)

Senior leaders

Between 2021 and 2022, the following proportions of senior leaders spent 10 hours or more:

• Engaging with parents (2021: 17%; 2022: 32%)
• Professional learning for school staff (2021: 13%; 2022: 29%)
• Interacting with students (2021: 50%; 2022: 62%)
• Community engagement (2021: 4%; 2022: 15%)

The rise in non-teaching responsibilities for middle and senior leaders reflects increasing community expectations. This shift adds demands on them and often has a flow-on impact somewhere else. WHY has this become more prevalent in recent years, and how does this disproportionate increase in parent/community engagement impact student learning?

How does this disproportionate increase in parent/community engagement impact student learning?

A quick review of the educational landscape does not offer much in terms of a strategy for thoughtfully addressing this issue as a broader community.